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Old 02-14-2012, 12:41 PM   #61
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George, when I read that article, it was clear that the writer was only about 20 years old. I was wrong. The writer is about 24 years old and just graduated from college less than two years ago, in 2010. The first give away is the complete lack of history and obvious lack of research in the article. The second was that the writer is actually satisfied with the shallow-ness of that article in allowing it to be published.

She states, "Average fuel economy for vehicles sold in the United States has increased since late 2007."

DUH!!!

Anyone legitimate reporter, anyone older than a fresh-out-of-college-first-job-pseudo-reporter would know that average fuel economy for vehicles sold in the united States has increased at least since 1973, the first alleged fuel crisis of recent history, although there were earlier similar crises. But I suspect the author's point was to get the article published, not to write a genuine, thought-provoking and accurate piece.

Of course, cost affects behavior. But the point of gasoline is to fuel our cars and help us get around in daily life, not behavior modification.

D*
You are correct that gas mileage has increased since 1973 but to some degree it is a sweeping statement. See the chart, it is from 2008 but still valid. http://www.pewenvironment.org/upload...%20Economy.pdf . Using reporter’s age as a base to disqualify the report is rather unfair.

Ford model T delivered 25 MPG, so, after 104 years how could we judge our MPG progress.

George.
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Old 02-14-2012, 02:04 PM   #62
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In the 80s I had two Chevrolet Sprints. The first one was a 4 door and it got 55mpg on the highway and the second was a Turbo Sprint 2 door with Turbo, Intercooler, fuel injection and was extremely fast and it got 42mpg on the highway. Both were 3 cylinder with 4 speed manual transmissions.

Here is a question: Why the heck can't we purchase one of these today?
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Old 02-14-2012, 02:56 PM   #63
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Originally Posted by Darwin Maring View Post
In the 80s I had two Chevrolet Sprints. The first one was a 4 door and it got 55mpg on the highway and the second was a Turbo Sprint 2 door with Turbo, Intercooler, fuel injection and was extremely fast and it got 42mpg on the highway. Both were 3 cylinder with 4 speed manual transmissions.

Here is a question: Why the heck can't we purchase one of these today?
No problem purchasing one today. (just not a NEW one!)

Just out of curiousity, what size RV are you planning to tow with it?
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Old 02-14-2012, 04:32 PM   #64
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Can't find them anywhere. Search for Turbo Sprint. I've been told the build it yourself airplane people use the engines. The car was badged Chevy but made by Suzuli.
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Old 02-14-2012, 04:36 PM   #65
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I hear that the 3 cylinder was a grenade waiting to blow.
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Old 02-14-2012, 04:48 PM   #66
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Originally Posted by BCDave View Post
Just out of curiousity, what size RV are you planning to tow with it?
Dave the answer is obvious- his Scamp 5th wheel with only a slight modifiction to the bumper area of the car Just joking folks!!!!!
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Old 02-14-2012, 04:53 PM   #67
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Can't find them anywhere. Search for Turbo Sprint. I've been told the build it yourself airplane people use the engines. The car was badged Chevy but made by Suzuli.

There are 4 of them for sale locally on C/L

Cheapest is $300.00 says it "needs work"....

Around here they were sold as Geo Metro, Pontiac Firefly, Suzuki Sprint, Chev Sprint, and other names as well.....

There is a ragtop version for sale a few blocks away from me at $1100.00, and a couple of non-turbo ones in the $600 range

Suzuki made GREAT little rides. I used a 1989 Suzuki Sidekick 4X4 for many,many years as my commuter/"urban guerrilla" ride(actually still own it, but its parked) and put well over 400,000 on it. Reliable as the sun, would go anywhere, go through snow up to the hood, got 35+ mpg. I parked it when it rusted to the point that going through a puddle resulted in my getting splashed in the face! (Replaced it with a 4Runner luxo-barge that gets 12 - 15 mpg, but has "all the toys")
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Old 02-14-2012, 04:57 PM   #68
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We have one in the auto shop at the vocational school I work at. I don't know if it's for sale.
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Old 02-14-2012, 05:54 PM   #69
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Norm and Ginny,
You have the absoltue best reply. If you cant afford the gas dont drive and just sit at home watching the boob tube. After being in Quartzsite, AZ I do think that the economy/gas prices have kept alot of people from traveling. Just keep telling yourself that it is higher somewhere else.
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Old 02-14-2012, 06:11 PM   #70
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I would much rather have a higher price than to go thru the rationing again.
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Old 02-14-2012, 06:28 PM   #71
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Cost of RVing

Rosemary,

I definitely believe the cost of RVing is less than the cost of staying home. Though gas is a major expense, we'd probably not spend a lot less for gas if we stayed home.

We'll travel somewhere between 20,000 and 30,000 miles this year. We've been averaging about $10 to 11 a day for gas, at this rate we'll probably spend about $4,000 for a years worth of travel assuming prices continue upward.

Our energy usage is very low. We just filled our propane tank ($11.75) for the first time, after 3 months of travel and it was still had 25% in the tank. We really use little electricity, a lot less than if we were home.

Tonight, for the 6th night, we find ourselves on the shores of Canyon Lake, 50' from the water spending $12 a night. Actually we now have 4 molded fiberglass trailers in the park, 3 of us are headed to the Hillapalooza rally in Johnson City in the morning.

Now I admit we take our 'boob tube' with us. Last night we got to watch our beloved UConn womens basketball team play OK's women, though most of the time we read or work the computer.

One of the reason's we downsized to a small fiberglass trailer towed by an economical vehicle is that we could see the pressure that RVing is going to be (and is) under. Our goal is to keep moving until our kids rip the keys out of our hands....first they're going to have to find us..

Safe and economical travels
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Old 02-14-2012, 06:58 PM   #72
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Key West gas

FWIW, gas in Key West today is $3.79 for regular.
A Rumrunner at Margaritaville was $8.00 for 8 oz.
Temp is a sunny 80 degrees
All numbers seem to balance out

Al & Inge in the Road Toad at Bahia Honda S P on the beach
Nibblin' on Sponge Cake
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Old 02-14-2012, 08:11 PM   #73
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Originally Posted by Alistair Camelford View Post
FWIW, gas in Key West today is $3.79 for regular.
A Rumrunner at Margaritaville was $8.00 for 8 oz.
Temp is a sunny 80 degrees
All numbers seem to balance out

Al & Inge in the Road Toad at Bahia Honda S P on the beach
Nibblin' on Sponge Cake
So, relatively speaking, gas is really cheap compared to rumrunners?
Have a great time in the Keys!
Sherry
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Old 02-15-2012, 12:30 AM   #74
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$$$. You gonna pay for it?
Pay for what?
George.
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Old 02-15-2012, 01:20 AM   #75
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Originally Posted by Darwin Maring View Post
In the 80s I had two Chevrolet Sprints. The first one was a 4 door and it got 55mpg on the highway and the second was a Turbo Sprint 2 door with Turbo, Intercooler, fuel injection and was extremely fast and it got 42mpg on the highway. Both were 3 cylinder with 4 speed manual transmissions.

Here is a question: Why the heck can't we purchase one of these today?
I think Darwin is asking for availability of getting these high gas mileage cars today, not used ones.
George.
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Old 02-15-2012, 04:04 AM   #76
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I think Darwin is asking for availability of getting these high gas mileage cars today, not used ones.
George.
Somehow it just never seems to occur to me that some people buy new cars. My "newest" is a 15 year old (1997) bought a few months ago in October, with 252,000 on it- which makes it the newest, lowest-miles car I have owned in the past 25 or 30 years!
(Wife's Lexus is 20 yr old now - had it 5 years, and my Tug is a '92 - also 20 yr old - has 400,000 on it)

I'm not rich enough to be able to simply throw $$$$ away on depreciation on new cars (or even to look at new cars anyway!)

Having said that - if we are going to compare mileage on a 1990 Geo Metro to what is avail now - lets start by comparing the cars themselves. The 1990 version is much lighter as it does not have:

Airbags (any!)
anti-lock brakes
traction control
stability control
power windows
power locks
it likely does not have air cond

Now take all that stuff off whatever is the new one with the "best" mileage and maybe you could get decent mpg as well.

However - since its illegal to sell them sans the baggies and it seems that virtually no-one will buy a car these days sans air cond, power windoze, power lox, power and heated memory seats, killer stereo, power steering, power brakes, satellite navigation, satellite radio, all sorts of sound deadener stuff ....

Weight costs performance and it also costs extra fuel consumption.

If you want really GOOD fuel consumption numbers - get the lightest, smallest, most stripped-down one you can find. You will likely have to factory order it to get without the so-called "options" that seem to come standard on them.

Its re-sale will be essentially non-existent as no-one will want it, so you'll likely find that its actually the single most expensive car per mile that you have ever owned!

So my answer stands. Yes you can get a 1990 Metro, if you are willing to settle for what a 1990 Metro had to offer, but you will most likely have to look for a 1990 Metro to get it!
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Old 02-15-2012, 07:11 AM   #77
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Darwin Maring
In the 80s I had two Chevrolet Sprints. The first one was a 4 door and it got 55mpg on the highway and the second was a Turbo Sprint 2 door with Turbo, Intercooler, fuel injection and was extremely fast and it got 42mpg on the highway. Both were 3 cylinder with 4 speed manual transmissions.

Here is a question: Why the heck can't we purchase one of these today?
Plenty of vehicles like this available today. You just need to move to Europe to own one.
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SOLD! - 1984 Scamp 13 in Maryland.
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Old 02-15-2012, 08:29 AM   #78
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BCDave...just wondering how that power lox tastes on a bagel. Sorry. Couldn't resist. When I was a kid I ate jeddy on my toast.
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Old 02-15-2012, 10:26 AM   #79
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To BCDAVE: The Metro replaced the Sprint and the MPG went down. New body and not as appealing as the Sprint.

By the way, I also drive a 1974 VW Thing today.
No power windows as I have to Take The Window off and place it in the back, Armstrong steering and brakes that have no power assist.
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Old 02-15-2012, 06:18 PM   #80
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My daily driver is a 97 Firefly, (Sprint clone). It is actually my second Firefly. My first one, a smurf blue 91, is the only new car I ever purchased. With the $750 new grad discount, it was less then $6000. Other then a habit of losing the buttons for the wipers and lights, it was almost perfect. I got married the same year. It outlasted the marriage. My ex-wife got it, and wrecked it.

I recently purchased a 97 for $400. The liability insurance was $450. I think the 91 had better galvanizing. My 97 is rusted through in several places, every time I go over a bump I worry about breaking the "frame". My boss wants me to park it behind the shop. But in the six months that I have owned it, I have not had one problem. Well, it really did not want to start at -34C, but neither did I. The power stearing will never break down, (it doesn't have any). Most of all, I put $30 in the tank every three weeks! It doesn't owe me a cent! When it dies, I think I will take a look at some of the 91 models that keep appearing on kijiji.
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